Air out the Fire
by Elesion
Summary: "It's about fucking time you two got here. What took you so long?" He looked up at Dave, then at John, eyes narrowing. "Where ya been, Avatar, while everyone's been getting slaughtered?" - Dave/John. Set two Avatars after Korra.
1. Running Away

_A/N: This started out as a roleplay idea, but after a lot of disconnections and nitpicking ("Why John?" "Aang was proud of his airbender roots and he stayed bald." "It doesnt make sense for John to be Avatar, you should have picked Karkat because his red blood makes him a special snowflake." "Are you serious? LOL!" "John would make more sense as a waterbender." "You don't need an Avatar for your roleplay, cant they be nonbenders or regular benders?") I decided to just make it in to a fanfiction. I chose John for my Avatar because I needed a main character. I always loved Airbending the most (Though if I had to pick, I'd be an earthbender), and John fits as an airbender. I mean come on, the Heir of Breath as a waterbender? :l I took a few ideas from the roleplays I DID do, none of which lasted long at all. :(_

_This story is an AU/Crossover and takes place an entire cycle after Aang, which would place him as the Airbending Avatar after Korra._

_Enjoy, and R&R :)_

* * *

It had been two years since John Egbert was pronounced the Avatar.

And he hated it.

How could he fill the shoes of the previous Avatar? He had so much to live up to. There was Avatar Aang, the previous Airbending Avatar. There was Avatar Korra, the waterbending Avatar. There was Terezi, the Earthbending Avatar, who was blinded by the previous Fire Lord, Vriska. And now there was him, John, the Avatar who didn't want to be. It was true that in legend, Aang didn't want to be Avatar, but fulfilled his role, going above and beyond. John didn't think he could even come close to him, or any of the other Avatars.

John didn't want to be Avatar. He thought that the results were a joke, a cruel prank played by the monks. But as it turns out, they were serious. John had selected the four toys, out of thousands, that pointed straight to Avatars. He had no choice but to be the Avatar. But he chose to hide it. There was too much responsibility. Too much pressure. After a year and a half of training, perfecting his airbending and preparing to learn waterbending, John had run away from his home in the Northern Air Temple, and even with the growing cities, it was easy to hide in the forests, and in the mountains. Trying to relax, John ran his hand through his thick, black hair. He thought he looked ugly without his hair, even with the light blue airbending tattoo. He had opted to grow his hair back out, favoring the arrow being partially covered, the point of it ending an inch or two above his eyebrows. If you asked him, he looked pretty good that way. But then there was his teeth. He had always been self conscious of his teeth, the front two sticking out happily over his bottom lip. To him, that was silly. Very silly.

John walked along the edge of a sparse forest, trying to see if there was anyone inside. It was a little chilly out, and he hugged his jacket tighter around him. It was more of a sweater, really, not unlike the short sleeved throwover that airbenders traditionally wore. He had modified his own to have longer sleeves. He chose it not only to hide his arm tattoos (paired with some worn out leather gloves) and he found it chilly at the Northern Air Temple anyway. Who would ask? Normally Avatars don't try to hide so hard, but he felt the need to. The Fire Nation was on the brink of declaring war again, and a rebel group had formed to protest the war as peacefully as possible. John liked the group. He didn't join them, due to it being much too risky. But he often poses as one of their members. Each member got a tattoo, similar to the arrows on his own arms. Some of them got a different shade of blue, and it was occasionally an easy way to cover his tracks. Personally, he found it slightly disrespectful that they would get tattoos so painfully close to that of the Avatar's, that of his own, but there wasn't much he could do about it at this point. He could have influenced the younger members not to, but since he wasn't part of the group.. it was hopeless.

After wandering around for a moment, lost in his own thoughts, he turned to look into the forest. Spotting a tree with some delectable looking fruits, he grinned widely and bounded over to it, making a decent amount of noise. Using a jet of air to lift him up, John grabbed onto a branch, awkwardly wrangling it. Once he was sitting up on the branch, he picked one of the fruits, and bit into it. It was delicious, and before he knew it, he had eaten at least five of them. As John relaxed on the branch, legs hanging down, a sound floated from the ground up to him. It sounded like a twig was breaking. Alert, he sat up. Either it was an animal, or someone was in the forest with him. That someone HAD to be close for him to hear the twig snap. Listening harder, he made out light footsteps. Confirming someone was here, John attempted to silently bring his legs onto the branch. It didn't work out so well. One slipup of his foot, and he was falling to the ground. He landed painfully on his side with a loud thump, and without thinking, he half-yelled out. "Oh hell! Fuck! That hurt!" He lay, clutching his side, forgetting about the potential threat. The sound of the footsteps reached his ears again. This time, they were louder. John's heart raced and he hurried to his feet, holding one hand against his side, the other poised and ready for battle. He swiveled his head around, searching.

And then he emerged from behind another tree.

A young man, around John's age, stepped out. He had short, soft-looking blonde hair, and a pair of sunglasses. He adorned himself with the traditional firebending clothing. A firebender! John gritted his teeth, giving out a hateful glare to the stranger. He hated making the first move in battle, but if this guy gave him any reason to attack, he would do it. Firebenders had been picking off the best Air Nomads there were. What if this guy tries to get him? No way in hell was he doing that. Though he knew that if he died now, when he wasn't in the Avatar State, a new Avatar would be born. But the world needed him. It might not be now, but it would be soon. That knowledge ate away at him daily.

The stranger gave a curt nod at John. "I saw you fall out of the tree. That looked fucking painful. You hurt or what?" Taken aback by his calm tone, John relaxed.

"Yeah. I fell." Cheeks flushing at the fact that someone saw him fall, he continued on. "What are you doing around here?" He knew for a fact that this particular forest was usually deserted due to the dangers deeper inside.

"Training." He said simply, and smirked. "And just what are YOU doing here? Pigging out on the fruit up there? If you're a traveler that stuff won't do shit. You'll be hungry again within the hour. Those guys are probably about ninety-five percent water." He stepped closer. "I'm Dave."

Frowning, John let his attack hand fall completely to his side. "John. And what's it to you?" He knew he was being hostile, and he had every right to be. This guy could be part of the army. He could be hunting for lone airbenders. Though it had been a few months since he left his home, and he hadn't heard much news at all, he knew what had been happening and was continuing to happen to his people.

"Just wondering, dude. You look like you need some help though. I've got some medicine and shit like that." He motioned to the backpack he was wearing. "Got a camp set up anywhere?" Betting that this guy was going to follow him to camp no matter what he did, John muttered a short confirmation and starting off, gripping his side the entire way. He was pretty sure he was bleeding, and if that guy really did have medicine, he could probably get it and then bail. Of course, he'd quickly realize that John was an airbender. The giant flying bison kind of gave it away. He would have much rather gotten one of those choice giant lizards, but it'd be a little hard to get around on one of those guys. Dave followed after John, keeping his distance. What John didn't know was that Dave had no intentions of hurting him.

Upon reaching the campsite, John's bison, Casey lifted her massive head and roared. John bounded up to her and stroked her. "Hey girlie." Dave had been left at the edges of John's small camp, surveying the area.

"You're an airbender, huh?" He inquired, voice smooth. John nodded at him and went back to tending to Casey, who was wary of Dave. He was a stranger, afterall. "That's cool, I guess." He continued on. "So where are we doin' this first aid thing at?" He came closer, albeit wary of Casey. John stepped away from her and sat down by the tent he had set up, and lifted his sweater partially, exposing his sore side. Yep, he was right, it was bleeding. Gulping, he looked up at Dave.

"I figured it was bleeding, not too bad I guess.." Every time John saw blood, his mind drifted to bloodbending. What if he used it one day, after he mastered waterbending? The thought of controlling someone that way made him incredibly nervous. Dave ambled over to him and crouched down, examining the wound. Wordlessly, he slipped his backpack off and rooted through it, producing a small bottle of water, a bowl,a square of cloth, a small tube of cream, and bandages. He poured the water into the bowl and wet the rag, gently pressing it onto John's side. Wincing, John looked away, trying not to think about it. Fuck, that hurt. It took a few minutes, but eventually most of the blood was cleared away.

"This might sting a little. This cream is strong." Dave carefully unscrewed the tube and pushed out some of the healing cream. "According to my Bro, this shit has stuff to kill bacteria in it. It's a pretty new healing technique, but it's worked for me so far." John nodded and braced himself. It didn't sting too terribly badly, not as bad as the cloth did. After Dave had applied a decent amount, he pulled out the bandages and wrapped them completely around John's middle, patting them into place. "There you go. All kitted out." He looked up, smirking. Lowering his shirt, John breathed out a thank you, and relaxed, propping himself up with his elbows.

"Thanks. I really, really appreciate it." He smiled in thanks, his two front teeth instantly becoming more pronounced. Dave nodded in response.  
"If you're travelling, you really need to get some of this stuff. This tubes the only one I got though. Not exactly swimming in it. But it lasts a good while. Good on burns, too."

"Do you need a ride anywhere after you're done.. practicing?" John offered, shrugging. It couldn't hurt to at least repay the favor, did it? Although he still wasn't sure about this guy. He WAS Fire Nation, after all. Dave nodded in response.

"Not really. I traveled really fucking far to get out here. I usually train back at my village, but .. something happened. It's nothing really. Im planning to make camp around here."

"The forest can get really dangerous, you know." John warned, looking at Dave, concern plain on his face.

"I know. But I'm sure I can handle my shit. Anyway, you might wanna see what's up at your home. I heard on the radio that the Fire Nation army was going to launch an attack on the air temples since the Avatar left." He gave a knowing smirk. Shit, did he know? There's no possible way.

"Oh. Uh. I'm actually looking for some people right now. Rounding them up to take them home, if you will. They were sent out to get a few rare airbending scrolls, and other materials we need to the temple." John retaliated. Good call, he thought to himself. That's a legit story, right? but fear pooled on his insides. Was what Dave saying true? "But I guess I can check it out. Sounds serious. They might need an extra body to fight with." That part was true. "I'd better get going. Thanks for all your help, Dave." John stood up, wincing slightly at the unfamiliar feeling around his midsection. Dave also stood and started off.

"See you around, kid." Once he had disappeared into the trees, John scrambled to pack up his tent and get it into Casey's saddle. He was desperate to see if what Dave had said was true. It had been months since he was home, after all, and he had barely any contact with anyone other than Casey and the odd shopkeeper. "Yip yip.." He muttered, and Casey took off. "Go as fast as you can, girl." She complied, heading straight for home. It was a two day trip, and he landed in the town square. Nobody was in sight. Panic welled up in John's body, and he got his glider, making his way through the streets. Nobody. Not even a light in the window. What the hell was going on!?

It was when he entered the Monk's Temple that the sickly sweet scent of death washed over him.


	2. Traveling Companion

This was unbelievable.

How could he have let this happen? John's eyes were full of anguish as he wandered from room to room, building to building. Bodies were everywhere. Their faces were frozen with fear. Thinking there might be a chance, any chance, he raced to his home. It was true he had been living among the monks, but that little house he grew up in would always be his home. Though sometimes his father's choice in decor annoyed him, he hardly complained. The front door creaked as he opened it, and took a peek into the living room. So far, so good. The air inside was slightly stale, with the lights turned off. He wandered into the kitchen. A cake was sitting on the table, expertly iced with John's favorite colors. He grimaced. He loved his father, but the constant cakes got to him. A bowl of cake batter was sitting on the table, spoon still sticking out of the batter. Tears threatened to flood his eyes. What he would give to see his father come in, right now, and pick up that bowl. The upstairs of the house came next. John's room was virtually untouched. He walked to his desk, and grabbed a few books off the top of it. There was one, a large, leather bound book, big enough to kill a cat if you were to drop it on one. The rest were simpler books, titles such as_ Avatar: A History, Pranking with your Bending, and A Prankster's Guide: How Far is Too Far?_

Tucking the books under his arm, John wandered into his father's room. Dust particles floated in the beam of light that rested softly in the center of the floor. There was an envelope sitting neatly on the desk. John's name was scribbled on it in hurried handwriting. Balancing the books next to it, John tore into the envelope, pulling out the parchment inside.

'Son-

Ive often wondered why you ran away. I know that you have fears about being the Avatar. I couldn't imagine bending, much less being a bender of great importance such as you. I love you, John.

The Fire Nation army came for us today. There was no warning. Nobody had any idea. Nearly the entire temple got slaughtered. I can only hope that you find this letter some day. There's a cake for you on the table. I hope it isn't stale. Take everything you need from the house.

A few nonbenders, including myself, managed to escape the firebenders. Don't come looking for me. The Fire Nation might be looking for you.

-Dad'

Tears of joy streamed down John's face. His father had survived. Stuffing the parchment into the envelope, John grabbed his books and ran. He found his glider, abandoned at the entrance to the monk's temple. The smell of death didn't bother him right now. All that mattered was that his daddy was still alive out there somewhere. He ran to Casey and unloaded his things into her saddle, and airbent his way to her. "Come on girl. Everyone isn't dead. Everyone isn't dead!" A bittersweet smile appeared on his face as Casey lifted into the air and began to fly.

He must have flown for a week straight. In circles, straight, take a left here, take a right there. The wind was flowing through his hair. He only stopped for sleep and to feed Casey. John couldn't bring himself to eat anything, aside from a few of those not-so-filling fruits. Hunger pains and mindless wandering brought him back to the forest where he learned of the temple's fate. John landed Casey and hopped off, listening to her roar, as if she were asking him if it was time to eat.

"Don't worry, Casey. I'll find you something to eat." He sniffed and ran full speed into the forest. He needed to run. His legs felt like jelly after being in flight for so long. John tripped a few times, recovering quickly. He kept running. He ran until he was out of breath. For the past week, he felt as if he were going to go insane. Where was his dad? Did he really not have anyone left? Why didn't his dad want him to find him? Was the Fire Nation hunting him down? He had no choice but to bottle it up inside. Nobody could know about this. All he cared about was finding his Dad. He knew he shouldn't be looking. Afterall, a parent knows best. Don't they? But what if he was in danger? He needed John, didn't he? What if he wasn't in danger? What if finding him would bring the Fire Nation right to him? What if they killed him then, just like they killed the rest? It hadn't even crossed John's mind to go looking for other Airbenders. It never crossed his mind to check the other temples. All he cared about was his father, and if he was safe or not. But where would he even start looking? All of his friends were dead. His mentors were dead. He had nobody. Unless..

The young firebending boy floated through John's frantic mind and surfaced. What was his name again? John bit his lower lip as he walked breathlessly through the forest. What was his name?! His fingers trailed along his middle where the bandage lay. He had changed it once or twice just to be safe, but.. Forget it. He'd probably never see that kid again. Shaking him from his thoughts, John continued on. It wasn't long before he spotted some plants that Casey liked. She preferred hay, but these would have to do. He gathered the biggest armful he could and headed back. It was a good, long walk back to where she was. Casey was resting happily by a small pond, grateful to have rested. John placed the plants in front of her, murmuring sweet words as she bent her massive head to eat. As long as he had Casey, everything would be fine. She would help him. She was all the company he needed.

John had fallen asleep in a makeshift bed that was next to Casey. When he awoke, it was dusk. Good thing he woke up. You never know what will happen at night. His stomach was rumbling with hunger, pain and sickness radiating from it. He really would need to eat soon. John ventured sluggishly into the forest, spotting the fruit trees from before. Ah. He remembered what that young firebender said about those fruits. They would do for the time being. A healthy armful were picked and lugged back to Casey, where John prepared a fire, and feasted. They didn't have a taste, but he wolfed them down, grateful to have something in his stomach. The feeling of being full didn't last long, and as he predicted, it was time to gather more fruits. At least he was getting hydrated. John's mind kept wandering to his father. What was the attack like? How many people screamed? Who died first? Who alerted the others? How many fought back? How could he have let this happen to his people? How? The questions zipped through his mind. The young firebender boy rose back to the surface of his mind. John could remember the sunglasses. The blonde hair. Don't firebenders usually have darker hair? Why did he even tell John? Why couldn't he have let him travel in ignorant bliss? Feeling overwhelmed, John laid down on his little bed, burying his face in his arms. Life didn't feel worth living. Not with what happened. But he had to go on, somehow.

He spent the night reading his books, trying to take his mind off of everything. But almost every page had to be read three or four times. There was no escaping the anguish in his mind. Voices floated to his ears. Was he imagining it? Footsteps, laughter. Lights in the forest. He must be hallucinating. Someone appeared at the edge of the clearing. Was that..? No. It couldn't be. John was just out of his mind! He put his book away. They probably already spotted Casey, the big lump. A taller figure appeared. Before John knew it, he was engaged in battle.

Fire shot through the air. John wasn't letting it catch onto the trees. Casey had flown off to safety. He couldn't blame her. Gusts of wind flew to the taller figure, knocking him back. There was cries of pain. Surely, this was the fire nation. This had to be a scout, out to find him. John had burns. Minor ones. They speckled his face and his un-gloved hands. They hurt. The other man was against a tree, out cold. John could feel himself breathing hard, almost hyperventilating. His eyes were wide. What had he done? Then there was a voice.

"I didn't think you had it in ya, kid." The voice was so familiar. John whipped around, poised for battle. He could go again. He could go all night. It was that kid. The sunglasses boy. The young firebender who had mended his wound. He let his guard down.

"You were right, everyone is DEAD!" John half shouted, feeling the words flow out. "My father survived. He left a note. Why the fuck did you guys do this?!" Now he was yelling. He was poised for battle again. His world was crashing down. Should he really be taking it out on this boy? The firebender stayed still, staring straight ahead. No emotion whatsoever flickered across his face.

"You knocked my Bro out. He's one of the best firebenders in the whole nation. He was one of the most valued warriors." A smirk flew across his face. "I don't know why the hell all this is going on. The Fire Lord is batshit crazy. Don't you know, or is your head above the clouds? I got out of the army as fast as I fucking could. Its insane." Anger boiled up inside of John, but he stayed silent. The firebender continued on. "You still up for giving me a ride somewhere or what? Because I was about to get my ass beat by my Bro for desertion. I'm on the run. We're in the same boat." He had a point. But how could John trust him now that he knew that this boy had been in the army? John's anger was evident on his face. A few tense moments passed by. "Well?" The firebender pressed on. A sigh escaped John's face and he gave up. He might as well. Maybe he could score some free meals with this guy around.

"Sure.. My bison is over here." He ambled off, feeling weary. Before long, he was packed up, and the firebender was climbing into Casey's saddle. "Yip yip." He muttered half heartedly and Casey lifted up, flying off into the night. They flew and flew. John was painfully hungry, and refused to say much. He still hadn't remember this guy's name. That was embarrassing enough. An hour of silence and it came to him. Dave. Right.

"Dave.." He sighed, and let go of Casey's reigns, climbing back into the saddle portion. "You aren't tricking me in order to kill me in my sleep or some shit like that, right? I'm just trying to be straight forward here. If I'm to suffer the same fate as the rest of my people, I'd like to know ahead of time." He was making himself out to be an ass. Dave stared at him, and if John could see his eyes, he'd know that Dave was surprised.

"No, John. What the hell makes you think that? I wrapped my precious bandages around your little baby wound just to be a good neighbor and shit. Why would I waste time doing that if I was just going to kill you in your sleep? You're one paranoid motherfucker."

"..Right. Okay. Well, that clears my mind a little. " It didn't really, but the words had slipped out before he could really think about it. "It's a nice night, isn't it?" That was true. The skies were clear. It'd be the perfect night for a trip with the glider, but John was sure he was running on pure exhaust fumes at that point. Dave nodded in agreement, and snapped his fingers. A small ball of flame danced between his index finger and his thumb. He idled with it for a moment before beginning to manipulate it, being careful with it, and keeping it in tact through the the soft wind.

"You know, fire is a pretty fucking beautiful thing. I hate how its so destructive sometimes. One second you're chilling by the fire and the next the whole forest is gone and then you feel like shit. But you've still got the fire. It's warm and bright but it's going to burn you." He let the tiny flame die. "The Fire Nation is great. Really. Growing up there was .. wonderful. Having Fire Lord Aradia around was great. At first everything was great. But.. something happened to her. It's like she did a complete one-eighty. I don't know the plans, John. I really don't. I feel like a shithead for dropping that bomb on you last time we saw each other. But the truth hurts. Would you have rather me told you, a complete stranger, or going home after who knows how long and finding out?"

John didn't know how to reply to that. His mouth hung open slightly. A few moments passed.

"...I'm glad you told me. My dad had.." tears were filling his eyes already. "My dad had left me a cake for when I got back." Gulping, he willed his eyes to clear. If he kept this up, Dave would figure him out. "He always bakes me stuff and throws little parties whenever I get back from travelling. I was supposed to be back.. before.." He choked on his words and took a gulp of air. No. He can't think about this. Not now. "Where are we going anyway, Dave?"

"I know a place up in the mountains near here. It was my backup camp. You chill with caves?"

"Yeah, sure."

The cave was small and dingy. John didn't like it, he'd rather be in the forest or at least higher than this. To him, this was a baby mountain range. But it was better than nothing. Casey stationed herself near the entrance to the shallow cavern, blocking the exit. Dave set up a small fire in a pre-prepared area, lined with rocks and dug slightly into the ground. John had to help it along a bit. Dave didn't want to use too much power with just starting a small fire, after all. After setting up makeshift beds next to the fire pit, Dave reached into a fairly deep pocket in his pants and pulled out two little packets. It was dried food!

"Want some, man? I got plenty. It tastes like shit but you only really need one to fill you up." John nodded enthusiastically. He had a few flasks of water, and could easily spare some. Some thermoses, bowls, and forks later, they were digging in. Dave had been right, these things suck. John began to feel sick, and figured it was from where his body wasn't used to eating so much after barely eating for so long. The two boys spent a good portion of the night talking to each other, learning about their pasts and lives in general. Of course, John was very careful to hide his Avatar status. Dave knew about the rebel group for war and the tattoos they all got, which John was grateful for, because then he could change into a regular shirt and some soft pants so he could actually sleep comfortably.

It was just before the two fell asleep in their little beds that they decided to travel together, and Dave would help John find his Dad.


	3. Rose LaLonde and Feferi Peixes

A/N: Jeez, sorry about the delay in this chapter. I've had a lot going on in my personal life lately.

* * *

And so they traveled.

John and Dave, as a team, traveled for a few weeks. So far, there hadn't been any incidents. In this time, they had become fairly close friends. John had let down his guard a little bit, revealing small portions of his personal life to the firebender. but his Avatar status was kept a secret still. There were rebel groups in each Nation, each doing something particularly different concerning the issue of the impending war. There were no signs of John's dad, either. The thought got to him occasionally, but he would not cry. Not just yet. He couldn't allow it. If his emotions got out of control, then..

No. He wouldn't think about what would happen.

Dave's views on the war were simple. He didn't like it. He thought that the assassinations on not just airbenders at this point, but everyone, benders and nonbenders alike, were completely and totally out of line. Afterall, that's why he deserted the Fire Nation army. He was originally recruited in by his big Bro. Being one of the best soldiers they had, he had been selected to be one of the assassins. He could have easily been one of the ones that wiped out John's home. But he refused. He left. He seemed more lively than when John had first encountered him, but still also stopped donning his firebending clothing, preferring to just stick with something more casual, something easy to bend in, but still comfortable, and less detectable. The less people that knew he was a deserter, the better.

With no news on John's dad's location, the two decided to visit one of the more prominent rebel groups in the Northern Water Tribe. This tribe was notorious for their strange leadership. The women of the clan were still banned from bending, forced to practice healing techniques instead. From what Dave had heard, the rebel group focused on both issues. It was quite a long journey from that little cave that John and Dave had spent a few nights in.

Upon arrival, John parked Casey just outside the large, icy gates surrounding the city. He was granted permission to enter, and so they did, leaving Casey near the inn they had booked a two-bed room in for the next few nights. It took a few hours of asking around, and heavy investigation, but Dave's smoothtalking helped. A lot. He seemed pretty popular with the locals, and when it came down to it, a few young girls with tattoos eerily similar to John's own led them to a small, discreet building near the outskirts of the city. This was their base. The two young men entered, feeling chilly, hungry, and tired from their day of exploration. A young woman greeted them almost instantly. She was about Dave's height, with soft blonde hair tied back in a headband, and some very warm looking clothing. She held out her hand, carefully painted lips turning upwards into a smile.

"Hello, gentleman. It is always nice to see new faces in these parts. My name would be Rose LaLonde. I am the co-leader of the FemmeBenders, the rebel group in this area. And who might you be?"

John took her hand carefully and have it a light shake. "John. I hail from the Northern Air Temple." He gave a goofy smile. This girl was very pretty, in his opinion. Dave gave a curt, upward nod.

"Dave. I came from the Fire Nation." Rose smiled brightly at him, her eyes sparkling with excitement. It was a well-known, common sense fact that they were opposites.

"John and Dave. Welcome. Come, let us join together in a feast. It is just about dinner time, is it not? I'm sure that you two would be very content with some proper clothing." She gave a once over on both of them, nodding in thought. "Yes. Follow me. I'm positive we will be able to accommodate you." She started off, taking long strides. The two benders followed after her. The building was comfortable. Not too shabby, not too grand. There were soft rugs littering the floor, and the furniture looked very sturdy. Paintings and documents decorated the walls, along with the stray billboard absolutely covered in photographs. In passing, John took a sideways glance at one of them. Rose was in a few of the photos, looking absolutely vibrant. He wondered for a moment what kind of event they were at when those photos were taken.

It wasn't long after that John and Dave were snugged up in some warm jackets, with gloves and scarves to match. After all, it was freezing in there! They had been seated at a round table, settled in the floor in front of a fireplace, with a hot bowl of soup in front of both of them. Rose joined them, bringing with her a bubbly-looking young woman. Her hair was long, wavy, and seemed to be slightly damp. It had been put up into a ponytail, and she adorned a bright purple set of goggles on her forehead. She sat down, smiling wide, looking very excited at the prospect of the two boys being in her presence.

"Hello!" She chirped, addressing the two benders. "I'm Feferi Piexies!" She poured herself a bowl of soup as she spoke. "Rose told me about you two! I'm very, very excited to have you here! It's not often that we get visitors from other nations!"

John nodded, flipping some hair from his face. "Yeah! Actually, we were looking for some information. It's kind of important." Feferi nodded, waiting for John to continue. He took a spoonful of soup and blew on it a few times, carefully tasting it. Not his cup of tea, but better than nothing. "Well, I come from the Northern Air Temple. As you probably know, like all the other rebel groups, nearly everyone was wiped out. I was away on business for our group at the time." That lie had been working out VERY well for him. "What a lot of people don't know is that a few nonbenders were taken hostage. Including my dad. He left a really hurried note for me when I returned. Do you have any idea? Any? I really.. need to find him." John attempted to hide his despair and worry, traces of it crossing his face as he spooned more soup into his mouth. Feferi had listened to him the whole time, her bright smile fading into a concerned, business-like frown.

"Hmmm.. Well! I'm glad you told me that, actually! The more we know, the better. As you know, we are one of the most prominent groups. We work locally and globally, if we can. Right now our best benders are out searching for any lone travelers or airbenders. Honestly, I don't have anything to tell you! But if you stick around for a few days, it's possible that someone might return with some news. I'm really sorry about your dad. I take it that Dave has been helping you?" Feferi inquired, shooting a sympathetic glance at Dave.

"Yeah. I kinda broke the news to the poor kid about his home. I felt like shit about it for a while but whatever. He's pretty hell bent on finding his dad. I don't blame him, man." Dave had been eating quietly, his face partially hidden by his hood. "The second time we ran into each other, I was about to get my ass kicked, and he managed to somehow save my sorry ass. We've been traveling together. He's a good kid." He looked up at Rose, eyes hidden by a pair of sunglasses he had recently begin to don, due to a bad firebending burn he accidentally gave himself while showing off some of his techniques. It wasn't ugly but he hated the way it made the underneath of his eyes look. Rose and Feferi looked at each other, concerned, and turned their attention back on John.

"Well, John. Do you have the letter that your dad left for you? You don't have to let us read it, but it might provide a clue." Feferi inquired, and John promptly began digging around in his clothes for it. He had taken to carrying it around, reading and re-reading it. He handed over the slightly crumpled note.

"Yeah, sure! I don't mind. I couldn't find anything out other than the obvious." Rose took the note with one delicate hand, and read over it a few times while the two boys finished their soup. Eventually, she cleared her throat.

"You are right. I cannot find any useful information out of this note either. I am quite sympathetic for your situation, however. I must insist that you two stay here for a while in case some news surfaces. I would not want you to miss out on something as important as to clues to your father's location." John took the letter back, returning it to its hiding place.

The evening continued on in such a fashion, swapping stories, warning up, and getting to know some other members of the FemmeBenders. When dusk came, The two benders left the establishment, saying their goodbyes with a promise of coming back in a few days. If the other benders would return early, they would be sought out. They learned a lot about this rebel group in the process as well, taking the information and storing it away for later. Apparently, Feferi was the previous Northern Water Tribe leader, given there was no male to take the throne. It was highly controversial with the elders of the tribe, and eventually she stepped down from the throne, and took over the rebel group instead. Eridan Ampora is now the leader of the tribe, taking his post with great seriousness. John and Dave returned to the inn, and headed up to their room. It was nice to sleep somewhere that wasn't outside, for a change. They both slipped into more comfortable clothing- John changed in the bathroom, for the sake of modesty. When he returned, Dave was relaxing on his bed, the one closest to the window.

"So what did you even think of those chicks in the group? It's pretty fucking crazy how things turned out for Feferi, isn't it?" Dave said, sitting up when John came out of the bathroom.

"Yeah, really." He settled down on his own bed, getting comfortable in the covers. Thank goodness this room was warm, and they were allowed to keep the garments given to them at the base. "All this is so fucking distressing! I can't even begin to fathom how stressful it would be to be a rebel group leader. Why does the Fire Nation have to pull this kind of shit all the time?" He whined. It was a good question. Why him? Why now?

"I don't know dude, and I don't really give a shit about what that crackpot leader must be up to. She seemed fucking great at first, but did a complete one-eighty. I heard on the radio the other night about some conspiracy theory involving her and the previous Fire Lord." He sniffed, taking off his shades and leaning over to place them on the bedside table.

"Hmm. conspiracy theory, huh? Well, you know what they say about those. Half the time it's just bullshit people believe. Like that guy back in the last village we visited that told us that the Avatar was captured by the Fire Nation already. Personally, I don't believe it at all." He often brought up the subject of the Avatar's wearabouts, just to test Dave, to see if he caught on to John's web of lies yet. Dave nodded in agreement at the statement.

"I don't think he'd been captured. Probably on the run or at the Southern Air Temple or some shit. I don't think they've been hit yet, given their location and all. The fact that the Northern Air Temple did is a little concerning. Do you think you'll ever take me there, John?" He seemed sincere about his request, but it'd be a cold day in hell when John took him there. He would know. He'd find out. Something would let the secret out, be it a painting, or a scroll abandoned on the floor somewhere. Thinking of his home, John sighed with contempt for what had happened. Then again, he probably wouldn't be with Dave right now if it hadn't happened. But that didn't make it worth it, if you asked him.

"I don't know, Dave. Maybe. In the future." Being as close as they were already, it was inevitable at some point. Though he did genuinely enjoy Dave's company. he wasn't ready to tell him everything just yet. Far from it, in fact. "I'm gonna go ahead and go to bed. It's been a long day."

"Alright dude, sleep tight."

That night, John was ravaged by nightmarish visions of his home, the citizens being captured and slaughtered.


	4. John's Dad and Jack Noir

It was three days before they heard anything from the FemmeBenders. The knock on the door to their room in the inn was soft.

"John? Dave? Are you in there?" The voice of Rose LaLonde floated through the heavy wooden door, and Dave rushed to answer, swinging the door open for her. She stepped in, completely bypassing him, and crossed over to John, who was curled up with one of his books.

"Hello John. We have received news on the whereabouts of your father." She stood straight as a rod, clutching an envelope in her gloved hands. John dropped his book instantly, and sat up, listening. "Or.. at least.. we believe we do. As we are unsure of your father's appearance. You see, the previous Fire Lord, Vriska Serket, had a secret organization, full of firebenders, of course, with the leader being a particularly undesirable man named Jack Noir. One of our spies managed to infiltrate their base and made copies of a few documents and photos lying around. We sent them out months ago, so you boys arrived basically just on time!" She gave a weary smile, and offered the packet to John, who wordlessly snatched it up. "I have already looked through them and made several other copies of the stolen information. You may keep that packet, if you wish." She sat down opposite of John on the bed as he carefully opened the envelope. Dave crossed over as well, sitting directly next to John. Their thighs touched. John didn't care. So many thoughts rushed through his mind as he pulled out the documents. His heart raced, beating in his eardrums.

The first was a packet of papers detailing the mission. He skipped them, planning to read through them later. He wanted to see the photos. He had to.

An Airbender, chained to a wall. The same one, smiling. It seems forced. A different one,  
presumably a nonbender, sleeping on a worn out cot. John bit his lip hard as he continued to flip through the pictures before stopping, staring at one. It was his father, walking between two Firenation soldiers, looking defiant. In the next photo, he was punching one of the soldiers square in the face. Next one, he was pinned to the wall. A bittersweet feeling washed over John. Yeah, that was his dad alright. Never one to be held down. The next photo showed him in a jail cell, middle fingers up in a lewd gesture. John laughed softly, having never had the nerve to even imagine his father doing such a thing. The last few photographs were of the building they were in, hallways and desks and structures and the outside.  
If yo asked him, it was a pretty stupid idea to take pictures of what your secret hideout looks  
like. He sighed, looking up at Rose. "Thanks for giving me these, Rose. Really." Even if he still had no idea about his father's life-or-death situation.

"I expect you'll be wanting to go looking for him. In that case, I advise that you visit my partner in Ba Sing Se. Her name is Kanaya Maryam. Normally we would.. be together, but she has business with someone in the city." Rose gave a small bow,muttering her goodbyes, and left the room, the clicking of the door as it quietly shut echoing through the room. All was silent for a few moments as the two boys processed what just happened. Dave frowned, and shook his head.

"This is fucking crazy. Holy shit." Dave sighed and tentatively put a hand on John's shoulder, as if to attempt to comfort him. John sighed and started stuffing the papers back into the envelope. He wanted to feel angry, upset, hurt, but instead he simply felt numb. He wanted to scream and cry, but couldn't summon the energy to do so. He sighed, and swatted Dave's hand away, and opted to lean against him gently, head on the taller male's shoulder. Normally he wouldn't be so touchy but.. he didn't want to risk going into the Avatar state in front of Dave, much less in a hotel room. He might break something. John found that the action was actually really comforting, in some strange way. Dave didn't react, just spoke.

"Do you want to leave for Ba Sing Se in the morning?" His voice was soft, gentler than his normal tone. John nodded and sighed, pulling away from Dave so he could put the envelope on the bedside table. He flicked off the lamp and took off his glasses, crawling into the sheets. Dave made no movements, just watched. John stared up at him, a weariness coming across his face.  
"I'm going to go to bed.." John muttered, and hid himself in the blankets, sighing.

"Me too." Dave crossed over to his own bed, climbing in as well, shades on the bedside table.

Might as well rest up for travel.

* * *

There was fire. The temple is on fire. No, no, no, no! The surrounded houses were burning to the ground, a woman was screaming as the flames engulfed her. She screamed for her children, for her husband, for her friends and family, for anyone. She was screaming for help as her flesh began to melt and boil through the heat. John ran to her, trying to fan the flames with his airbending. It was useless. He tried to water bend. There was no water. He didn't know waterbending. Where the fuck was he supposed to get any water? There was gushes of wind coming from his hands, trying to do anything, anything to help her, but she disappeared in the heat, and John gave up, running back to the temple. All of the scrolls had burned. All of the written evidence of his people's pasts, all their history, birth records, death records, journals and texts, all gone. He screeched as the murals on the walls burned, the rug was burning, the monks- where were the monks?! What were they doing! Thick black smoke filled the room and John ran out, coughing, tears streaming down his face. He ran home, gasping for air. He couldn't get enough air. Air was all around him but he couldn't get enough fucking air. The air was him and he was the air, but he just couldn't get enough of it, his lungs were never satisfied. He hated the air. Then there he was, blonde hair shimmering in the light, being blown softly by John's gusts of wind, his attempts to stop the fires. Too much oxygen, too little oxygen, too much, too little, FUCK!

And then all was blank.

He was in a room. Tied to a chair. John was tied to a chair, bound and gagged. He cried out. Nobody came to get him.

Then there was Dave. Sunglasses glinting. He moved hair out of his face and licked his lips. John stared at him. Dave took off his sunglasses. But he had no eyes. He just had red splotches. Red liquid trailed down his face. It was blood. John could smell it in the air. Then his gag was taken away. He screamed. Dave untied him. John lunged, trying to grab ahold of his friend. He passed through him. Dave was gone, in a puff of smoke.

Then he turned. There was his dad. Pinned to the wall, then that firebender. Who was he again? Was that Dave's bother? And then heat and light filled the room, a screech from his father, and John screamed, crying out for his father, crying out for Dave, screaming out 'I love you's and 'Dont leave me's.

He could feel the energy pulsating through him, as if all the knowledge in the world was flooding his mind. He knew the secrets to the universe. All the power of the previous Avatars flooded into him and he stopped breathing for a moment, rising into the air, and then-

It was over.

John awoke with a start, trying to sit up straight but couldn't. He was being pinned down. His heart was threatening to burst from his chest, and he batted at the air, cracking open his eyes. They hurt. He saw Dave next to him, curled up against him, arms and legs protectively holding him down, preventing him from moving. John felt cold, so fucking cold. A shuddering sob left him and he turned, nestling himself against Dave, and cried. He cried for what felt like forever. Dave didn't say a word, just held him, his grip loosening when John finally calmed down. They were silent for a few moments, tangled in each other's embrace. Dave spoke.

"Are you okay?" His voice was barely above a whisper, and frankly, it was a fucking stupid question. John nodded, finally daring to stare up at Dave. He didn't have his shades on. John's heart lurched for a moment but he realized Dave was fine, his eyes were normal, if a bit oddly colored.

"I had a nightmare." John whispered back, attempting to calm his heart.

"I can tell, dude. You were.. screaming and shit. Want me to stay with you the rest of the night?" There was concern dripping from the fire bender's voice and John nodded slightly, sinking down into Dave's embrace.

"Thanks, Dave. Really, thank you."

"Have you always had such bad nightmares? What even happened?"

John gulped, and looked back up at Dave. His eyes were red and puffy, as he had been crying in his sleep. He gulped, his throat scratchy and dry. He carefully detailed the dream to Dave, leaving out the very last part. Eventually Dave would find out, but now wasn't the time. Dave was silent for a moment before squeezing John slightly, reassuring him.

"Things are fine, man. You're fine. Shit.. I didn't realize your nightmares got that bad. I knew you had them but.. shit, dude... want me to run out and get you something? Water? Something to eat?" Dave pulled away for a moment but didn't let go of John, lowering himself to face level with him. Their noses bumped against each other, and John's cheeks flushed. They were so close. So terribly close. He couldn't decide if he should pull away or not, and simply licked his lips a little, unsure of what he would do if Dave tried anything. But Dave didn't, and simply remained in his place, gazing at John, waiting for a response.

"Um.. yeah.. a cup of water if you don't mind." And yet, he made no movements, simply accepted his position. It was comforting, somehow. Dave was the first to move, sitting up and letting go of John. He left the room, coming back a few minutes later with a cup of water, and sat down with John again, handing it to him. John in turn sat up, and sipped on it, suddenly realizing how thirsty he was. It was gone in a few moments and he abandoned the cup on the bedside table before flopping back down onto the mattress. Dave followed after, settling in next to John. John hesitated for a moment and rolled to face Dave, and snaked a hand around the fire bender's chest, settling in against him. This was okay, right? He had just had a horrible nightmare after all. Dave didn't seem bothered by the position and shifted to wrap his arm underneath John, pulling him in close. They fell asleep like this, and awoke in the morning, spooning each other, with Dave curled around John, arm protectively over his midsection. John didn't want to get up and simply pressed himself closer against Dave, who hadn't woke up yet, and simply squeezed John in response, making a small sound of contentment.

It was the best night's sleep either of them had ever had.


	5. Avatar Terezi

A/N: shoutout to BAYALE for giving me a review 3 It really got me motivated to write this next chapter!

* * *

Casey was exhausted from all of the straight flying to Ba Sing Se. John spotted a nice looking late with a small forest nearby and opted for them to stop there for the night, possibly the next day. They were still about two and a half days away from the great Earth Kingdom city. Frankly, John couldn't wait to get there, but he had to keep Casey's needs in mind. Dave, on the other hand, was glad to be out of the air for more than a couple hours or so. Flying sort of made him sick after a few hours. It was an embarrassing admission on his part, but John was always glad to direct Casey to the ground so Dave could get his bearings.

The nightmares were still coming on a nightly basis. Sometimes they weren't too bad. But every time John felt himself being pushed closer to the edge. Some nights he swear he could feel the presence of Avatars past, he could feel the power rushing through his veins just before his eyes snapped open. And each night he was confronted with Dave, curled up around him, soothing him with soft words. It was to the point were they were zipping their sleeping bags together and simply sharing the combined bag. And John wouldn't have it any other way. There was something about sleeping with Dave, nightmares or not, that calmed him. On this particular night, he awoke in a cold sweat, chest heaving, heart pounding. Dave was snuggled against him, eyes half open, their legs tangled together in an effort to keep John under control. Her face floated behind his eyelids, spiky hair slightly out of place, a single smudge of dirt on her cheek. She was holding a cane with the symbols of the four elements etched into them. The voice of the previous Avatar rang in John's ears, clear as day. Her voice, scratchy but oddly pleasant, almost haunted John's mind with its words. He would have to speak to her more extensively later. When he was alone.

"Avatar John.. you can't hide forever. You know who ELSE needs you other than your dad? The world, John. The whole world."

He couldn't. Terezi was right. John couldn't hide forever. Dave would eventually find out who he was, be it from a passerby or John's own undoing as he's pushed over the edge, his emotions running away from him as he entered the Avatar State. Goddamn it. Whining, he rolled over to face Dave, hiding his face into the crook of the firebender's neck. This has become a normal thing between them, pushing the boundaries of being best bros for life to something more. But John was hesitant. It would be too dangerous to do this. Was that even a thing that was okay to do? He had never heard of two men engaging in an actual loving relationship, never in his life. He hadn't heard of women doing it either. At this point in time, he only heard of these things happening in prisons. It scared him a little, honestly, but what could be wrong about a friend comforting another after a nightmare?

"You okay man? It wasn't too bad this time, was it?" Dave's voice was scratchy from sleep, weariness showing through. It was probably hard on Dave to have to do this so often. John simply nodded in response, sighing.

"I'm sorry I'm so fucked up.. I know you didn't expect to have to do this all the time."  
"No man, it's fine. Seriously. As uncool and lame as doing this kind of thing is, I can't just let you suffer." John laughed softly at the comment and sat up, pushing a few strands of hair out of his eyes and looked around for a moment. It was morning, but just barely. An idea struck him, and he laid back down, looking up at Dave.

"Hey Dave.. do you think you could take Casey and go out to that town that's a couple hours away and get some food for us to last until we get to Ba Sing Se? I'll stay here and man the fort." John looked hopeful, his eyes pleading silently. Dave thought for a moment, confused, and nodded, sitting up away from John.

"Yeah, I can do that. No problem. Your money pouch is still in her saddle, isn't it?"

"Yep! There should be enough. I have plenty more in the bank. I know Ba Sing Se has a branch for the one I used back at the Temple, for travelers. So yeah, it should be fine."

"John.. how do you know that? Have you been to Ba Sing Se before?" Truthfully, John had been to all of the major cities. He froze up for a moment and decided to be somewhat truthful about it.

"Uh, yeah, once." Four times. "Dad and I went on vacation after I became a full fledged Airbender. It was more of a treat for me than anything." He went for training mostly, or to meet important figureheads.

"Hm. Okay. Cool. I'll be back in a few hours." Dave got out of their sleeping bag and set about getting dressed. It took him a while but eventually he was presentable, and after a few sweet words to a disgruntled Casey, she and Dave were up in the air, zooming off.

Okay, here goes. John scrambled to clean up their makeshift camp and to get dressed, his heart pounding and a sickly feeling spreading through him. He was going to try to meditate, to ask Terezi for advice. He knew how to do it, but never quite got there due to lack of interest. He hid nearby, underneath a tree. Legs crossed Indian style, and fists pressed together, John steadied his breathing. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

This went on for quite a while. In times like these, it took him a long time to get used to the feeling. His heartbeat had slowed down to a slow, steady pace, and he was no longer thinking about his breathing pattern. His mind was clear. Tranquil. At first, it had been hard for John to block out all the thoughts and images flying through his mind. But the calm had come. Time to get this show on the road.

John envisioned a door. A large, metal door with the symbols of the four elements carved into it. Air. Water. Earth. Fire. He could feel the inkling of power blooming in his midsection. Air was beginning to rush around him, ruffling his clothing. John's eyes snapped open and began to glow a hot white as he entered the spirit world.

He could see nothing at first. John stood up, looking around him. All was black. He tried to walk but felt as if he were going nowhere. But he kept moving. Slowly, light began to pool into the area. The environment around John was fuzzy, and he blinked, trying to focus his eyes. It was useless. He kept walking. Things were becoming clearer now. Looking behind him, John noted that everywhere behind him was now lit, and he could see where his physical body sat. Hopefully he wouldn't have to walk too far away from it.

"Hello? Avatar Terezi?" He called out, voice shaky, slightly weak sounding. "I need to talk to you!" Louder this time. John almost shouted out his words. A plant nearby rustled in response. He kept walking. Things seemed so different here than in the physical world. How could something be so different? Then again, he had seen this place in his dreams. Maybe not this area specifically, but he had been to the spirit world in his dreams. Or at least thought he did. Something touched John's shoulder, and he whipped around, hands up in a fighting stance. It took him a moment to register who stood before him. It was her!

A mischievous smile grew on the previous avatar's face, her somewhat pointed teeth prominent on her face. Her eyes were blank, a soft teal color, but it seemed as if she were just staring right through him.  
She tapped the ground with her cane, motioning for John to lower his hands. He did so, expression softening.

"Avatar Terezi! I need to talk to you. I'm so confused and I don't know what to do!" John's words were desperate. He really needed this. She was the only one he could turn to.

"Well obviously, since you came to the spirit world just to see me. What an honor!" This time, her words were harsher, with some kind of playful undertone, and she laughed. It was more of a cackle. Kind of scary, actually. She continued on, not giving John a chance to reply.

"Is it about your little boy problem? That firebender is pretty cute, you know. Or is this about your daddy?" Her smile never faltered, and she seemed to lean on her cane slightly, expectant.

"What- neither!" Face flushing, John looked at her, eyebrows furrowed. "Well.. Maybe. How am I supposed to tell Dave who I really am without him hating me? If I'm going to save the world.." His words trailed off, voice becoming soft. A feeling of dread was beginning to overtake John, eating away at his insides.

Terezi stared through him for a moment, smile faltering for just a moment before she spoke again.  
"If it were me, which it never was, by the way, because I always just told people like you're supposed to, I'd tell him before you start your training for the other three elements. Don't you think it would be at least a little suspicious to be running off for training so often? You can't put this off forever."

John's eyes remained downcast as he listened. She was right..

"Alright, thank you, Avatar Terezi. I'll tell him." Pivoting, John began to make his way back to his body, listening to Terezi's goodbye on his way out.

"Good luck with the cool kid, Avatar John!" Avatar Terezi cackled as she began to fade. The air around John's body calmed down as he began to come to, his glow fading, vision returning to normal. He felt grounded now. He felt more real in the physical world than he did in the spirit world. Disoriented, John stood up, checking his surroundings.

Everything was the same. It was obvious some time had passed, perhaps two or three hours. Casey and Dave still weren't back. Good.

* * *

When they finally did, arrive, John noticed immediately that Dave was pissed. He landed Casey, sliding out and off of the saddle quickly, a backpack strapped to him. John stood up from their makeshift fire pit from the night before and rushed over to take the bag.

"Did everything go okay?" John inquired instantly, shifting to open the bag and look through it

"Yeah, everything went just fucking fine, dude. You should have come with me. What the hell were you even doing back here? Anyway, I got there and some fucking firebenders were there. From the army. They're looking for deserters. I almost got caught because of your ass sending me down there when you did. But I guess I can't be too mad since I got away, and got a useful piece of information."

The words were sending John into despair until the last part, and his ears perked up as he began to unwrap some cabbage from the bag in order to give it to Casey. It was her favorite.

"Oh yeah? What kind of information? Anything about Jack Noir?"

"No, but while I was running away from the soldiers, I came upon this short little angry dude who was also running from them. He told us to be at a certain place tonight if we didn't get caught. He knows where there's other deserters. Maybe they know something about Noir." Casey grumbled in appreciation at the cabbage John was feeding her.

"A camp.. we should go." John nodded, feeling a spark of hope erupt from him.

* * *

Then the two benders finally came across the deserter's camp, all heads snapped up to look at them. First at Dave, whom a couple of the men and women recognized. Then at John.

They _all_ recognized John.


	6. Nepeta Leijon

_A/N Wow thank you for the reviews and favs! Shoutout to Eeveelution-Trainer and StarDream22 for giving me encouragement, haha. I've never written Nepeta or Equius before, so I apologize if they're OOC in this chapter._

* * *

The crackling of the fire was the only thing breaking the heavy blanket of silence that filled the camp. John stared back at them uncomfortably, lips slightly parted in surprise. One firebender near the front of the group dropped his bowl, letting it clatter to the floor. Dave, on the other hand, looked between the group and John. He leaned over after a moment, whispering.  
"John.. why are they staring at us?" There was a subtle urgency in his question, and if his shades weren't on, the panic in his eyes would have been clear as day.

A ghostly pale, short male near the front got up from his mat on the floor, marching up to the two benders. He stared up at them for a moment, the bags underneath his eyes oddly pronounced. When he spoke, his voice cracked slightly, raspy from overuse.  
"It's about fucking time you two got here. What took you so long?" He looked up at Dave, then at John, eyes narrowing.  
"Where ya been, Avatar, while everyone's been getting slaughtered?"  
Eyes widening in surprise and shock, John backed away from him, pressing himself against the trunk of a thick tree. No. No. Not now. Not here. Not like this. Dave turned with his mouth partly open, reaching out for John. Things seemed to go in slow motion. There was a gust of wind, the fire went out. Someone cried out; John wasn't sure who it was. He pushed someone off of him and started running, scaling a tree, hiding in the branches. Nobody could find him. There were people calling his name. He wasn't sure how long he was up in the tree, curled up in the leaves. When he could no longer hear anyone's voice calling out to him, he broke down. Heart wrenching sobs emitted from John, and fat, hot tears fell down his face. He didn't mean for it to go this way. He should have just told Dave from the start who he was. Dave probably hated him now. A liar, someone who betrays and uses. That's I am, John told himself. That's all I'll ever be. I can't save my dad. I can't stop the Fire Nation. I can't bring back my people. I couldn't even be truthful to Dave about who I was..

Streaks of sunlight were shining through the foliage when John woke up, stiff from spending the night up in the tree. His face was swollen and red from crying, stomach tight from skipping meals. He carefully crawled down, wearily making his way to where he left Casey. Looks like it was time to leave. Nobody seemed to be around. To be safe, John did a few circles around where Casey was, double and triple checking that he was alone. Perfect. Casey was grumbling at him, the deep sounds almost comforting John. He walked over and stroked her face, burying his face into her thick fur.  
"I know, girl.. I'll miss Dave too. I should have told him who I was from the start, huh?" She roared again in response. John let go of her and blasted himself up to her saddle. First things first, he picked out all the things that were Dave's and stuffed them into a padded bag, tossing them over the side so they landed safely in the grass. Hopefully he'd find the bag.  
"Yip yip!" John's voice cracked as he gave the command, but Casey rose into the air regardless. When they had started moving, John dug around in his bag again, looking for a map. Ahah, there it is. He studied it for a few minutes, debating if he should go ahead and go to Ba Sing Se or head back home or what. After a while he sighed, deciding to go to Ba Sing Se. Chances are, he wouldn't run into Dave while he was there.  
"Casey, Ba Sing Se it is. Dave or not, at least we still have each other." She only roared in response.

He didn't want to land anywhere. Casey seemed to sense this, flying as far as she could before she absolutely had to land the next evening. John knew that they were now in the Earth Kingdom, judging by the terrain.  
"Atta girl.." John slipped out of Casey's saddle, a few cabbages under his arm. "Here, let's rest up. I'll go find some.. water. Yeah." John laid the cabbages down on the ground next to her and got back up into the saddle, checking his bags. The first thing he came across was an old waterbending scroll. When had he packed this? John pursed his lips, trying to remember. Perhaps Rose had slipped it into his things when he wasn't paying attention. Maybe he could use it. John decided to take it with him, figuring it could help get his mind off of Dave and what he had done to the firebender. That, and a few empty bottles he had in the bottom of the saddle, some of which had rolled under one of the small leather benches inside. Stuffing it all into a smaller knapsack, John slid off , landing safely on the ground.  
"I'll be back in a little while, Casey. I'll find us some water. You rest, okay?" A quick pat to Casey's enormous figure and John was gone, trotting off in the distance.

He couldn't have walked far until he reached a clear river. The water looked clean enough to drink, so he filled up his bottles one by one, drying off the sides when he pulled them out of the water. Now would be a great time to bathe, he decided. John re-packed his bag, and deciding that he was alone enough, began to strip down for his bath. His clothes and glasses were left in a neat pile next to his bag, which rested atop a rock. Being naked and outside was nothing new to him, and he waded into the water, shivering at the chill of it. If only he had some soap.. John dunked under the water when he was in deep enough, daydreaming about the types of soap that were made back home. His favorite was a blueberry scented one, colored a light blue. When John finally decided to come out of the river, he spotted someone rifling through his bag.  
"H-Hey! What are you doing!" He called out, wading up to the water up to his waist, suddenly very aware of his nakedness. The small figure by his things seemed to jump right out its skin, quickly swiveling around to face him.

She was a small girl, seeming to be very young judging by her height. John couldn't quite make out the details of her face from his vantage point, but she had a mess of wild, black hair, and skin darkened from being out in the sun. Her jacket seemed tattered, patched up in places, and was a mossy green.  
"Oooh.. is this your bag? I'm so sorry! I didn't even notice you were in the water!" She giggled, backing off from his things instantly.  
"Uh, yeah, that's my bag! Mind laying off a bit?" John crossed his arms, irritated. He would fight if he had to. Instead the girl just giggled a little more, plopping down on the ground and propping her face up on her hand.  
"Say.. you're not bad looking! Are you single? I know someone who would be absolutely perfect for you!" She rolled the r's in 'perfect', smiling wide.  
"That's nice, and yes, but I have bigger things to worry about than dating! Can you please move away so I can get dressed?" He was pleading now, suddenly realizing how cold he was in the water. Who even was this chick?  
"Oh, no need to be shy around me! I'm not gonna nip at you!" None the less, the girl covered her eyes, one hand per eye. John signed and hesitantly started wading out of the water, blasting himself with air to dry off as quickly as possible. Today was turning to shit really fast. What he didn't know was that the girl was peeking at him through the cracks of her fingers, studying him.  
"I thought I was gonna be alone out here.. just my damn luck.." John muttered as he walked over and started dressing himself, still not comfortable with the situation in general.  
"Don't worry about it, kitten! I've seen guys naked before.." She could barely contain herself, bursting out into a fit of giggles and falling over. "Not bad, airbender!"  
John froze up instantly, half dressed, face flushing into a bright crimson. Had she been peeking? He knew he wasn't the most muscular guy in the word, but he wasn't huge either. John's body was thin, toned with muscle from his training. A light amount of dark hair expanded from his navel and downward, and admittedly, John thought it made him look pretty damn good. But right now, he just felt exposed. He quickly wrestled into his shirt and shoes, sliding his glasses on to get a look at the girl. He was right, she had a tattered, home-repaired jacket.  
"Who even are you! Fuck!" His annoyance was clear in his voice. The girl sat up, composing herself, and swiftly moved over to John, sticking out her hand.  
"My name is Nepeta Leijon!" She gave a bright smile, eyes lit up with excitement. Up close, John could see her properly. Her eyes were slanted slightly, a bright hazel color. Her smile was a bit crooked, teeth seeming to have been filed to slight points. Honestly, it kind of creeped John out. And reminded him of cats, somehow.

"Uh.. nice to meet you, Nepeta." He stuck out his hand to shake hers, surprised by how strong her grip was. "I'm John Egbert and.." He took a deep breath to finish his sentence, only to find himself being cut off.  
"I know who you are! You're the Avatar, aren't you?" Her excitement was still shining bright as she let go of his hand, staring up at him. Shit, she was short. In fact, she barely reached John's shoulder.  
"Well yeah, but.. Wait, how did you know that?"  
"That's a stupid question, Avatar! Everyone knows who you are!" There was that accent again. E-furry-one? Was that what she said? John stared down at her, brow furrowed in confusion.  
"Er.. okay, good to know. I need to go, but it was nice meeting you.." He bent down to get his things, eager to leave. This girl was weird.  
"Do you reeeaaallly have to go so soon? I have someone who would love to meet you!" She bounced up and down, a smile growing on her tiny little face. She seemed so excited, there was no way John could deny her.  
"I suppose I could stay for a while.. er.. come with me and we can fly my bison to your house." John decided he could humor her, at least for the time being, and slung his backpack over his shoulder. Maybe she could hook him up with something decent to eat for the night.

A couple hours later, John arrived at a rather large home on the edge of the forest. He was instructed to leave Casey out in the pasture, which was littered with some particularly majestic looking stallions. They eyed him warily as he landed, with Casey letting out a grunt of warning to the horses. Nepeta slid carefully out of Casey's saddle, with John trailing after her.  
"We're here, Avatar! Don't mind the horses, they're not mine. But I take care of them an awful lot! I'm more of a cat person, personally." Her r's were rolling again and John nodded in agreement, following her through the pasture.  
"I like cats too, but bunnies are kind of my favorite." John smiled to himself, wishing he could have had one when he was younger. Of course, he didn't have time to take care of a pet when he was young, between all of his training and all.  
"Oh, boo. You can play with the kitties I have if you want! I don't have any bunnies because my cats would probably try to hunt them. " Nepeta giggled and sped up slightly, aiming for a door in the back of the house. "Come on, through here! I hope that I don't get yelled at for bringing someone home.. but you're the Avatar, after all! Who could get mad at that?" She was smiling bright as she bounded up the small set of stairs leading to the door. It opened with a loud creak, and she instantly took off her jacket when she got inside. It was then that John noticed how her pants had a hole cut in the back with a slim, blue tail protruding from her clothing. He stared at it for a moment, jumping when it flicked.  
"Er.. Nepeta.. you've got a t-tail!" What WAS this girl!? John's voice cracked when he spoke, and he backed against the wall, eyes widened.  
"Oh, this?" Nepeta giggled and reached around to grasp it, tugging on it slightly. "It's mechanical! I had a really bad spinal injury a few years ago, and after my operations, I couldn't walk correctly. So Equius built me a tail so I could keep my balance better! I'm not allowed to leave the house without my jacket though.." She sighed, adjusting the tattered fabric on a hook before turning to go down the hall, the tail waving around behind her.  
"Holy fuck.." John breathed, gulping as he eased off the wall, walking after the girl. He still had NO idea who this Equius dude was, and Nepeta didn't seem to be interested in elaborating. She started poking her head into rooms as she walked, searching.  
"Equiiuuuus! ... Horuss?" Her voice was awfully loud, words trailing slightly as she called out. "Anyone home?!" Nepeta nearly screeched that. Just as she finished there was a loud crash from somewhere below them, and a few thumps. John was scared at this point. Was he about to get murdered or something? Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea after all! A door somewhere around the corner opened, knob smacking against the wall behind it.  
"NEPETA!" Someone yelled out, and John could swear he could feel the testosterone behind this man's voice. "You know you are not to be loud in this household! What could you possibly want? I'm busy!" Someone strolled around the corner, a massive, muscular man. He wore a tank top and shorts, a wrench in his grip. Cracked glasses sat on the bridge of his strong looking nose, hair swept back into a ponytail. "Who is this boy? Explain yourself, Nepeta!" John winced, shrinking back a little. Did this tiny girl really live with this man?  
"Equius!" Nepeta brightened up, happiness dripping from her voice. she bounded over to him and practically leaped onto Equius, wrapping her arms around his midsection. "I was down by the river checking traps, and I saw someone's bag by the water! And then I turned, and found the Avatar, see?" She turned and pointed to John, pleasure clear on her face. "I thought you would want to meet him, and he agreed to come see you! Isn't it great?"  
The man dropped his wrench, the resulting sound causing John to flinch.  
"Avatar John Egbert. I apologize for not recognizing you sooner." Nepeta slid off him and the man dropped down onto one knee, staring up at John. "It is such an honor to have you in my home. We are your humble servants." He hung his head, hair falling over his shoulder. John could see now that there was a thin sheen of sweat covering Equius.  
"Oh uh.. nice to meet you too! I'm just passing through, actually.. " He laughed nervously, trying to get comfortable with the situation. This was so fucking weird. "Erm.. You don't have to kneel like that.. "

"But Avatar, I must. You are above me. You are royalty. I am but a mere peasant compared to you."


	7. Girls and Girls, Boys and Boys

There was something about the way that Equius guy treated John that made him feel severely uncomfortable. And he just wouldn't stop with the "You're above me" and "You're royalty" thing. Nepeta wasn't too bad, and there was another guy.. what was his name? Horuss? He was older than Equius, and made John's skin crawl even more. He figured the two guys were brothers. They were an awful lot alike.. John spent his evening generally avoiding the two, but Nepeta was inevitable. It seemed she didn't have much else she was allowed to do in the house. They were settled down in the guest room, door left wide open.

"So Avatar.. Why do you need to go to Ba Sing Se?" Her curiosity was genuine, and Nepeta tucked some of her wild hair behind one of her ears.  
"Well.. I'm looking for someone. You know how the fire nation captured and killed a lot of airbenders? They caught my dad, even though he's not a bender. So I'm looking for someone who can lead me to him." John explained carefully, trying not to dwell on the information too much. He might have a nightmare tonight if he wasn't careful.  
"Ooh.. I know someone who came from the Fire Nation! He deserted the army because he didn't like what they were doing. He actually stayed here for a few weeks not too long ago. Equius let him in exchange for doing a lot of our housework! He left after he figured that the army had forgotten about him and stopped looking." Nepeta was chirping, face brightening at the mention of this person. Guilt struck John's insides like a train, and he gulped, looking over at her.  
"Oh yeah..? What's he like?"  
"He's really short, almost as short as me! And so mad, all the time. I don't know why he gets so upset over everything! We spent a lot of time together, either way! His name is Karkat!" She giggled, a deep pink rising to her cheeks. "I wish I could see him again.. I really .. liked him." Her face was more downcast now, and John suddenly felt pity for her. He scooted over and wrapped an arm tenderly around her shoulders, noting how small she felt next to him.  
"I had a friend from the Fire Nation Army as well.." John looked away, keeping Nepeta close. She had curled up next to him, her mechanical tail resting on her feet. "He.. he was my best friend. We did everything together, even shared a sleeping bag whenever I had nightmares." Nepeta looked up at him, studying John's face. When she finally spoke again, her voice was soft, almost inaudible.  
"Did you like him, Avatar? It's okay if you did. I won't judge." Her hair was falling into her forehead, eyes full of curiosity. John was silent for a few moments, assaulted with memories of Dave. The way they held each other when they slept. The way it was so easy to be with him, to laugh with him and talk to him. A pleasant warmth spread through John, quickly overtaken by an icy guilt at how he lied to Dave, deceived him.  
"...Yeah.. I did like him. I .. I think I liked him more than I should have."

The admission haunted him the entire night. John couldn't sleep. He even bunched up his pillows and a spare blanket in an attempt to re-create how Dave would feel next to him, but nothing could compare to the natural warmth of another person's body. Especially if it was Dave. The next morning, John went downstairs just as the run was rising. He planned to sneak out and leave before anyone caught him, but apparently he wasn't the only one awake. A familiar, rough voice caught his attention.  
"Avatar John. Where are you going?" Equius was nearby, standing in a doorway. John turned to look at him, sighing in relief that it wasn't Nepeta or Horuss.  
"I um.. I really should get a move on! I need to be in Ba Sing Se as soon as I can.. Thank you so much for letting me stay here!"  
"Do you know Earthbending, John?" Equius leaned against a door frame, and John was scared that it would snap under the weight.  
"Um, well, no.. I was going to start on waterbending yesterday.."  
"Come with me."

Equius turned to leave, and John followed obediently, wondering what the man could possibly have to show him. He was led to a large library, and seeing Equius in a place like this was a little concerning. Equius crossed to a desk and carefully pulled out a pack of scrolls, offering them to John.  
"When you are ready to study Earth Bending, these will help. It.. would be a great honor to the Zahhak clan if we were able to help you learn EarthBending." He attempted to smile, cracked teeth exposed underneath his thin lips. John reached up and took the scrolls, examining them for a moment.  
"Wow, thanks Equius! I really appreciate this. I don't really have a teacher for anything yet-" He was cut off.  
"I would be honored to be your instructor." Equius bend down and did that weird bowing thing again, causing John to back off a few paces.  
"..Um.. yeah! Sure! I don't really know any other Earth Benders that aren't like, elected officials in Ba Sing Se, so ... yeah, I would love it if you were my teacher, actually. But I need to learn Waterbending first." Equius stood back erect at the words, sweat dripping down from his hairline.  
"Of course, Avatar John Egbert. Whenever you are ready. Return here, as it is secluded, and I will teach you Earthbending. I may allow Nepeta to assist. She is.. irresponsible, but can do some things better than I.. admittedly. I need to find a towel, excuse me." Equius turned to leave, exiting the room. John stared at the scrolls in his hand and followed after, making his way out of the house. He wanted to get out of there. Equius was nice, he decided, and bad, all things considered.

John flew with Casey, Ba Sing Se appearing in the horizon.  
"Casey look, there it is! That's Ba Sing Se, remember how we went here after I got my tattoos?" Casey merely groaned in response, speeding up a little. Perhaps she was just as eager to land as John was. Fair enough. John flew just outside the great wall surrounding the city, landing outside one of the gates. Casey trailed after him until they reached the entrance. One of the guards looked down on John, surprise evident on his face.  
"Avatar? Is that really you?"  
"Yeah! Can you let me in? I'm looking for someone really important!" John waved at the guards, buck tooth smile shining on his face. The guard let out a grunt of approval and ordered for the door to be opened.  
"Who are you looking for?"  
"Umm.. I think her name is Kanaya? A woman from the Northern Water tribe told me to look for her.."  
"Oh, yes, her. I know of her. She is a very respectable woman. Many look up to her. You can find her on Twelfth Street, the shop with the clothes in the window."  
"Thanks so much!"  
The door had opened by now, and John piddled through, leading Casey as he went. The first place he'd have to find was an inn, he thought. People ducked out of the way at the sight of Casey, and a few younger children pointed at John. It seemed that people really did know who he was. Then again this was the city, of course his identity would be more circulated here. That's why he avoided larger towns as much as he could up until this point. It only made sense when you don't want to be seen. Come to think of it, John wondered why Dave never said anything about it, considering he was from the army.. did he know the entire time? Shaking his head from thoughts of Dave, John turned a corner, spotting a nice looking inn not too far away. There seemed to be a parking lot, full of automobiles. They had come very far with the advancements of the things in the past few years. John thought they were pretty cool, but he still preferred his bison. He meandered over to it and directed Casey into one of the parking spots. Turns out, she took up about two of them, but he decided that it wasn't a big deal.

After checking in and telling the staff about Casey, John moved all of his things from her saddle into his room. He figured he could stay here for a few days. The staff was very welcoming, and ended up giving him the nicest room in the inn, even though John would have been okay with even the cheapest one. All he wanted was a bed and a shower, anyway. But it was nice to have a radio, dresser, and room service. When he got settled in, John showered and changed into fresh clothes. He ate something that room service provided before heading out, vaguely remembering where he was instructed to go. He wandered around for what felt like forever, ignoring the glances from passerbys. He didn't have time for that. John reached twelfth street, staring at the shop windows until he came across one with a set of elegant dresses in the windows. Maybe this was it? He pushed his way in, enjoying the small tinkle of the doorbell. The shop was empty, and absolutely packed with racks full of clothes for all ages. He was going to walk around to find the shopkeeper, but decided instead that he would browse. Not that he had any intentions of buying anything. He looked through the rack of clothes that he guessed would fit him. They were obviously handmade, as no two were alike. And.. wow. They were amazingly crafted. Not a stitch out of place. He didn't know a lot about making clothing, but he knew enough to tell when someone's done an excellent job. Someone spoke from nearby, pulling John out of his train of thought.

"Do you see anything you like?" He spun around, instantly spotting a woman. He wasn't sure what to make of her at first. Her skin was a deep brown, reminding John of cocoa. Carefully painted black lipstick adorned her lips, and her hair fell in soft layers. And her clothes.. she wore an elegant black dress, with minty green lace and a darker green sash, cinching her waist. He stared for a few moments, cheeks growing pink. She tilted her head, looking at him questioningly.  
"Are you doing alright? I am not sure what you could be looking at but it seems to be affecting you greatly." Her words were so unbelievably articulated. John gulped and dropped the sleeve of the shirt he was clutching, facing her properly.

"Uhm.. uh, hello! I'm actually l-looking for someone." He looked up at her, examining her face. Whoever is with her must be incredibly lucky, John decided.  
"Who is it that you are looking for? I may be able to be of assistance."  
"Um.. a woman named Kanaya Maryam. Do you know her?" He bit his lip, hoping she could help. Though the woman simply smiled, holding out her hand.  
"I know her so well that I am, in fact, Kanaya Maryam. And.. I am not entirely sure but your face is oddly familiar. Have we met before?" She tilted her head to the side, a questioning look on her face.  
"Erm.. no, we haven't. Ah, I'm.. sorta famous." John smiled sheepishly and took her hand, a goofy grin spreading on his face. "John Egbert."  
A look of realization crossed Kanaya's face, her eyes widening. Now she knew. John sighed, letting go of her hand, dropping his own to his side quickly. "Please don't tell anyone I'm here. There's.. people looking for me, I think." Dave. Kanaya nodded slightly, lips pursing slightly.  
"Then what brings you to my shop, Avatar? I am fairly certain you have little to no interest in these types of clothing." She gestured at the racks of dresses, a slight smile on her face as she idly touched a sleeve of one.  
"Well.. uh, someone told me you knew some stuff. About the Fire Nation. Rose LaLonde told me to come find you." John was nervous again, biting his lip for a moment before continuing. "They took my dad from me."  
Kanaya looked more interested now, a genuine smile crossing her face. "Ah.. Rose. She is a beautiful flower, is she not? I am lucky to be hers."  
"Er.. hers? What do you mean?" What?  
"Hers. As in, she and I have filled a romantic quadrant. Though it is lonely without her sometimes. But the wait is worth it when she travels here for a weekend." A knowing smirk came on Kanaya's face. "Come with me, Avatar." She reached out and grabbed a very shocked John's arm, tugging him to the back of the store where a battered looking door appeared. So many thoughts were going through his mind. Two girls? Was that even a thing? John was suddenly assaulted with the image of Kanaya and Rose.. his face was beet red by the time he was plopped down in a chair in a separate room. The thought crossed his mind.. if two girls could do that, couldn't two guys..? Kanaya's voice jerked him out of his thoughts.  
"John, you are particularly red. I must inquire as to what has gotten you to such a state." She was calm, sitting down in a chair near what looked like a giant drawing board.  
"Er-uh.." John gulped, suddenly finding the floor very interesting. This wasn't what he wanted to ask about. No. "I didn't come to- ask about- uh, girls- and that, um. I didn't even know two girls could- you know, be together! Like, that. Not. Being hateful, I'm sure you love each other very much- I just had no idea, Rose never mentioned.. oh god." He buried his face in his hands, whimpering. And all he got in response was a light chuckle from Kanaya.  
"Well, John. We are very much in love, yes. It works not unlike a man and a woman. Except it is two women and no man involved. Rose is.. rather hesitant about telling people, but I feel no shame in the matter. After all, this is Ba Sing Se. Why is this such an interesting topic to you?"  
He looked up from his hands, stuttering out a few syllables before managing to speak.  
"Its not what I'm here for! I'm just surprised! I mean- I want to find my dad- but two girls. Oh man. I just- fuck. Can.. Oh god. Can two guys..." Fuck. A very knowing smile came over Kanaya's face, and she rolled her chair over to John, grasping his hands in her own.  
"Avatar John... Do you have romantic feelings for another male, just as I do for my Rose?" Her words were careful, precise. John couldn't help but to feel .. comfortable with Kanaya. As if he could tell her all his troubles. Tears welled up in John's eyes, lip wobbling slightly. That fucking question Realization was hitting him like a tidal wave. Dave. Dave and his fucking stupid smirk and his stupid shades, his stupid face and his stupid laugh. That stupid shirt he wore to bed and the stupid way he would pick at his food before eating. The stupid way he spoke with his hands and the stupid fucking way he looked good in red. Kanaya made no sound, simply moved to pull John close to her, or as close as she could while they were both in chairs. Kanaya's arms encircled him, and John simply sat there, his heart feeling as if it'd explode out of his chest.

Fuck Dave Strider.


	8. Cakes

John stayed in Ba Sing Se for a few days. Usually, hanging around Kanaya, who gracefully blessed him with information. And a few new sets of clothes.

According to Kanaya, who wrote everything down for John, the Fire Nation Army was brutal. Harsh, even. The man who was in charge of it- Jack Noir - was a horrible man, one who was hungry for power. He was a nonbender, learning the trade of many types of weaponry. He was unable to join the army as a soldier, but the previous Fire Lord, Vriska Serket, saw his potential from a mile away. When she stepped down from power for the current Fire Lord, Aradia Medigo, she kept close tabs on everything going on. Nobody was quite for sure about what was going on, even the Femme Benders, but they knew it was bad. At first, Aradia was a pleasant Fire Lord. She meant no harm, only intending to run the nation she was blessed to lead. But something happened to her. She stopped eating for a while, growing thin. John saw a picture of her how she was now, with a wild mane of hair to take care of, sunken eyes, and oddly enough, a tattered skirt she rarely changed out of. She became horrible, a bitch of a leader for her people. And she was brainwashing them. It was so unlike her that the theory was that Vriska was manipulating her somehow. Changing her. After all, Vriska was at almost every speech Aradia gave, watching from the sidelines with a sneer on her face. Watching Aradia. Aradia's once lively voice and way of speaking with her hands became softer, duller, more monotone. Her hands stayed clasped in her podium.

It just didn't make sense.

On another note, Kanaya knew that Jack Noir had a hidden base. No shit, John had commented. All he wanted to know was the location of it. The known base was somewhere in the Fire Nation. Of course. She had suspicions of another one, possibly in the Earth Kingdom. It was still under investigation.

* * *

Before John left, Kanaya stopped him, her face stern.  
"Avatar John Egbert. Feel free to not pass on your family lineage. But do not ignore your true feelings." Her hand was pressed firmly on John's shoulder, and he gulped, nodding. She let go of him, a thin smile on her lips. "If you see Rose, do tell her that I send my greetings. I am sure she will want to know how I am doing." John nodded again and watched Kanaya disappear inside of her stockroom, presumably to start working on a new set of clothing. He wanted to thank her somehow but- how? John decided he would think on the subject matter and left, making a beeline back for the inn. On the way, he stopped at a small child's makeshift vending table. She was wiggling around in her chair, eager to sell the misshapen cakes on her little table.  
"Hey mistah!" She called out to him when he stopped, excitement on her face. "Oooh! You look familiar! Are you a rich guy?" She was missing her two front teeth. John chuckled and lowered himself to get to eye level with her. She was absolutely adorable.  
"Yeah! I'm a rich guy, here to buy all your sweets." John smiled bright, and reached over to ruffle her hair. "Would two gold coins be enough?"  
Her eyes widened so insanely large, John decided they might pop out of her pretty little head if she wasn't careful. That must have been overkill but.. the girl let out an excited squeal, bouncing up and down in her seat.  
"Yes! Two gold coins is perfect! Oh! I'd be able to buy my sister a birthday present if I had that much! Please, mister? You can have all my cakes!"  
John couldn't help but to laugh, and reached into his money pouch, producing the promised coins. He handed them to the little girl, who greedily took them and shoved them into the pocket of her dress.  
"Hold on, I'll get you a baggie to put them all in!"  
There weren't very many cakes, maybe five or six. But it was worth it, especially since she wanted to buy her sister a gift. John liked to think he was a generous person. Maybe too generous, sometimes. It didn't take long for the girl to shove her cakes into a cloth bag and hand it excitedly to John, beaming that little toothless smile of hers. He leaned down to ruffle her hair, smiling back at her.  
"Now, go run along to the shop, and buy your sister that present! and get yourself something nice too, since you're such a good saleswoman. Ive been blown away." She nodded happily, and moved to take her things and drag them inside. "Thank you mister!"

Over all, John thought it was a good afternoon. He walked back to his hotel room, stewing about the information he had learned about what was going on. He had also shared what he knew with Kanaya, bringing her the photos he had received. She, of course, had read over the information sheets as well, something John hadn't bothered to do. He made a decision to read over them when he could. Before he knew it, John was back at his hotel room, collapsed on the bed, his bag of cakes on the bedside table. He was tired. So tired. John hadn't been able to sleep the past few nights. Not without Dave. His warm, sometimes too warm, embrace and the way he calmed John down after a nightmare.. John was sure he would have a terror soon. He slipped off the bed, moving to undress and step into the shower. Dave was still on his mind. The guy was infectious. Once he planted himself in John's mind, he was near impossible to remove. John sighed as he turned the faucets for the water, feeling the steam filling the room. He stepped in, then instantly back out when he realized he forgot to take off his glasses. Shit. He left them on the sink and returned to his shower, shivering slightly. The water was just slightly too hot, but he didn't care. Did Dave take his showers this hot? Or did he like them hotter? Or maybe he liked cold showers, to cool off his inevitable burns. John's mind started wandering, picturing Dave showering, the steam rolling around him in waves. John pictured his hair being flattened by the water, pushed back to show his forehead and those gorgeous eyes of his. The picture swam in his mind as John rinsed out his hair, groping for some soap to rub into his hair. He went back to his daydream as he began to work the soap into a lather. He imagined Dave would probably face the water while he worked his soap in, excess lather trailing down the back and sides of his neck. As John moved on to rinse and begin with washing the rest of himself, he imagined Dave doing the same, wondering how he would do it. John couldn't help but to picture soap running down that thin body and.. he froze up, trying to push the images from his mind. John could feel his cheeks heating up and reddening, and he whimpered as he rushed to rise himself off. Curse his imaginative mind!

Naturally, John writhed in his bed that night, books splayed out next to him on the mattress, half eaten cakes littering the bedside table. He couldn't get Dave off his mind. Those images from earlier in the evening danced in front of John's eyes, and they made him feel weirder than he had ever felt in his life. Even though he had grudgingly admitted how he was beginning to feel for the firebender.. was that even a thing? Could.. could guys do that? Kanaya said they could, but.. John knew very little of these types of things. All he knew was that there was a sensitive tent in his pajama pants, and he wanted to get rid of it. Sighing in frustration, he took off his glasses and set them aside, heart pounding in anticipation. He had done this kind of thing before, but it had never been like /this/. One hand trailed down his abdomen, teasing the spare trail of hair that led downwards. John pulled off his pajama pants, in which he wore nothing underneath. He closed his eyes as he gripped himself, finally allowing his mind to wander as he gave experimental strokes to his neglected self, sighing in relief. Finally. Dave, in the shower. Soap trailing down his body, down that painfully pale skin, littered with soft burn marks. The freckles he knew dotted the boys shoulders, the clusters of marks around his hips. John had only seen that much of Dave once, and that's when they had bathed in a pond. Not together, but John had sneaked a peek at him. John imagined Dave doing the same thing he was doing now, with his legs bent slightly, lips parted just slightly, puffy breaths escaping him with each stroke. His mind wandered farther, imagining himself taking over the job, gripping Dave's length in his hand, stroking it softly as he kissed Dave's neck. He'd suckle on it lightly, keeping his pace tantalizingly slow. He imagined Dave's needy whispers, asking for more out of John. Asking him to go faster, to stop teasing him. John would kiss his way downwards and- did he dare? A pulse of excitement ravished John's body, and he dared. He dared to imagine taking Dave into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the head. He imagined Dave's hands threading into his hair, moaning out his name. John could feel his heart threatening to burst from his chest as he picked up speed, gripping himself tighter. He'd take as much of Dave as he could into his mouth, sucking and licking. He'd let Dave take control, bucking his hips into John's mouth, holding his head in place. And John would let him, humming around his erection. Dave's hips-John's hand-became sporadic, the movements jerky. Just as hot liquid shot out of John, landing all over himself, he imagined Dave finishing in his mouth, holding him in place as he rode out his orgasm.

He practically yelled out Dave's name.

* * *

He chose to have breakfast in a cafe down the street from the inn. Even though here was no way they could tell, John felt as if everyone knew what he had done the night before. What he thought about. He felt sort of smug about it, though, and took his breakfast with enthusiasm, feeling better than he had in days. John decided he'd leave today, and try to find that hidden firebending base he knew something about. But.. before he left.. John walked back to Kanaya's shop, entering without hesitation this time. He had a rather delectable looking basket of sweets in his hand. It wasn't very large, but sizable indeed. Kanaya bustled out of the stockroom after she heard the bell on the door, smiling when she spotted John.  
"Avatar. What brings you back to my shop? I hope that all is well." He shrugged, walking over to her and offering the basket.  
"I wanted to thank you for all of your help, Kanaya! I got you this basket.. all I could find were red velvet type things though. I hope you like them." John smiled that goofy smile of his as Kanaya took the basket, her face brightening.  
"Thank you, Avatar John. I do enjoy red velvet quite a bit. But.. what sort of help are you speaking of? Or is it because of your.. boy troubles?" Her lips twitched slightly, another smile growing. John retaliated with a blush and a little bit of a stutter.  
"W-well, that, you were right. And you know, the Fire Nation army stuff. I'm gonna look for the base that was scouted out. You know, the one I took pictures of." Kanaya looked up from the basket with concern on her face, eyebrows raising.  
"I don't think that is such a wise idea. You are traveling alone. "  
"I know but-"  
"Find him, John. Find Dave, and bring him with you."  
"But-"  
"Don't argue."

John sighed, defeated, and nodded. "Alright, I'll find him. Thanks again, Kanaya." He smiled and waved goodbye to her, and turned to make his way out of the shop, heart dropping as he heard the woman give her goodbyes. She was right.

He needed to find Dave.


	9. Hotel

The wind slapped John in the face as he ran.

He was running as fast as he could through the forest, his mind only on one thing: That campsite that he and Dave had gone to, with all of the firebenders. He only remembered vaguely where it was, but his singed hair and clothes would say everything that it needed to say. If there was even anyone at the campsite. Maybe there would be. Maybe there wouldn't be. He had no idea how long it had even been, after all. There was yelling coming from some distance away from him as bumbling Fire Nation Soldiers, ones that hadn't deserted, ran after him, trying to keep up. But John had an advantage, and that advantage was being able to airbend. He jumped over rocks with ease, using the breeze below him to shape his path. He kept going, chest heaving from effort as he turned around a bend, hoping to lose the soldiers behind him in the forest. Too bad it wasn't very thick, otherwise this would be a hell of a lot easier. John found it hard to come to a stop when he found the remains of the camp. Looks like they had left recently. There were a few fire pits laying around, some abandoned sleeping bags that seemed to have been either burned or ripped to shreds by wild animals, and old packets of dried food, long since eaten. John leaned against a tree, allowing himself a few minutes to catch his breath. It didn't take him long, seeing as he may as well have been made of the stuff. He wasn't even sure of what was happening- one minute he was gathering food for himself, and the next he was being blasted with fire. He knew where Casey was, the poor girl, who was waiting by a cliff side not too far away from where John was currently heaving. He walked around the camp for a few moments, ears pricked for sounds. He had to stay alert. But maybe he lost the soldiers; seeing as they were incredibly slow beings. John started scavenging, shoving whatever he might find useful later into his pants pockets. Old scrolls, even if they weren't complete. A pair of gloves. Half a tube of that ointment stuff that Dave had used on him. Dave! A realization rippled through John at that instant. The deserters probably left camp because they knew firebenders were looking for them. If they hadn't left long ago, then maybe they weren't far away. But John would have to get Dave alone.. He shook his head as he continued to look around. He spotted a familiar backpack and jogged over to it, ignoring how heavy his legs were from all the running. It was Dave's backpack. John grabbed it, slinging it over his shoulder, and took off into the forest again, slowed down slightly by the slight weight inside. What the hell was even in there, and why would Dave leave anything behind? As if he knew John would come back.. then again, at this point, Dave knew John better than anyone. Didn't he? It was a long time before John got back to Casey, having taken the long way back to where she was resting. As soon as he got to her, John slammed the backpack into her saddle and climbed in.

"Yip yip. We gotta go, Casey. Sorry. There's soldiers." She grunted and took off, rising into the air with gentle grace. As she started off in an arbitrary direction, John started rooting through the backpack that Dave left. There was dried food, a roll of fresh clothes that obviously belonged to the blonde himself, and a letter. John tore into the envelope and unfolded the paper, his heart beating. It was written in red text, in handwriting he just knew was Dave's.

'john-

look i dont know what the fuck is up with you but seriously man just running off like that wasnt cool. im fucking worried sick about you. i dont know if youll ever read this or even be back at the camp but its worth a shot leaving you something. heard on the radio that fire nation soldiers were in the area so we decided to scram. heading for one of the obscure earth kingdom towns. super small based off of what karkat says.'

Karkat? Isn't that the guy that Nepeta likes? John shook his head, continuing with the letter.

'if you find this and read it, all i can tell you is that its near the smallest river and has the biggest lake. that should make it fairly fucking obvious if you didnt lose your map, dipshit. anyway yeah, come find me. oh by the way in case youre wondering, i knew the entire time.

-dave'

John's heart sunk. It was almost as if his blood was turning to ice. Dave knew. He knew the entire time. John folded the letter back up and shoved it into the envelope, almost tempted to throw the damned thing off the side of the saddle. But he knew it wasn't a good idea. John shoved the envelope into the backpack and sat back against the side of Casey's saddle, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He allowed himself to cry, hugging his knees to his chest. God fucking dammit. How could he have been so stupid?  
It was a good half hour before John sat up, groping a round in one of his bags for his map. He pulled it out, seeking out the section with the Earth Kingdom. It took him a while, but John picked out what he thought was the town in question. It wasn't far. Not far at all. A couple hours at most. Maybe they were already there.

* * *

It was midday when John finally pulled up in front of the little town that had been in Dave's letter. He flew down, landing nearly in the forest nearby. He carefully walked her into the town, ignoring the looks he got from people. Naturally, John walked around until he found an inn. It wasn't nearly as nice as the one in Ba Sing Se, but he entered anyway, leaving Casey in the parking lot. Before booking a room, John gave the receptionist a pleading look as he spoke.

"I know it might not be like, safe or anything, but I'm just wondering. Is there a guy by the name of Dave Strider here? Or have you seen a blonde guy with sunglasses? He's a friend and I'm looking for him." The girl behind the counter sighed and started flipping through a book, popping her gum when she came to his name.

"Yeh. Room four thirteen."

John smiled wide, feeling his heart rate accelerating. "Thanks!" With that he ran off, intending to find Dave's room. He prayed that Dave was there. John found the room number easily enough, and paused to press his ear to the door, just in case. He could hear muffled voices inside, that of Dave's and one that sounded vaguely familiar.

"...just saying, I don't think that shithead you call a friend is even going to _begin_ coming to look for you. Come on, man. What do you think you are to him anyway?"

"Uh, his best fucking friend. We shared a goddamn sleeping bag, and told each other almost everything."

"Almost. Yeah. He's a tool. I thought the Avatar would be better than that, but he's a goddamn liar. He was using you, Dave."

"No he wasn't.."

"Yes, he was! Forget about him. He doesn't need you anymore."

Anger bubbled up inside John and he knocked on the door harshly, cheeks reddening from how insanely upset he was. Whoever this guy Dave was talking to...  
The door swung open, and it wasn't Dave. It was that short guy from the camp. John stared down at him with an angry glint in his eye.  
"Oh." The guy stepped aside, and John strode into the room, eyes locking onto Dave instantly. And it was as if time were slowing down. John was smiling, feeling his frustration melt away, and before he could process it, Dave was in his arms, squeezing John as hard as he could.  
"You-"  
"Dave I-"  
"No, its fine-"  
"I missed you-"  
"I missed you too-"  
"I'm sorry-"  
"I am too-"  
They were talking over each other, wrapped up in each other's embrace. John had never been so fucking happy in his life. He thought he was gonna cry.

"...I'll just leave you two numbskulls alone then." And with that, the little short man was gone, and a door across the hall slammed shut after theirs. John didn't let go of Dave, just dragged him over to the bed, settling down next to him, his grip still tight. They could talk later. Dave was looking at John, and John was staring right back, and they were both smiling, facial muscles straining from the effort of smiling so much after smiling so little. He didn't know what to do. There were no more words. John didnt need them. All of the horribly guilt he had felt was washed away just by being here with Dave, wrapped up in his too-warm embrace, feeling his rapid heartbeat, hearing his breath coming out rather quickly. Johns hands found Dave's shoulders, then his face. Sunglasses were shed, and John's hands were running through Dave's hair, messing up the soft locks. Dave's hands were on John's sides, keeping him in place. It happened in a flurry, really. John found himself perched on Dave's lap, pressing against him. It was all so perfect and he had no regrets. Something in the back of John's mind screamed for him to stop but he continued on, memorizing Dave's facial structure with his hands. Dave's hands were running along the small of John's back, around to his front and across his chest, where John's heart beat patterns into his rib cage, all of which read 'Dave Strider'. John knew he belonged to Dave, or at least his heart did. At the VERY least, his heart was Dave's. John struggled to find a way to show this to him, lips parted in his own confusion. Dave glanced at him and seemed to know exactly what John was trying to convey and closed the distance between them, pressing their mouths together with a desperate motion. John froze and at first he wasn't sure what to think, he was kissing Dave Strider, of all people. He was kissing a Fire Nation soldier who probably knew every detail about the attack on his home, the one that wiped out everyone he knew and loved. He was kissing another male.

And John couldn't care less. His inexperience shined through and he pressed against Dave, small sounds of contentment and happiness slipping out every time their lips left each other and returned in full force. John wasn't sure how many times they kissed, coiled up against each other on the squeaky bed. Really, he didn't care. He had no idea how much time passed before Dave's tongue was in his mouth, mapping out the interior and winding around John's. John's hands were running through Dave's hair again, tugging gently in places, smoothing out the locks. Dave didn't seem to care that John had no idea what he was doing and just kneaded at his hips, his waistline, smoothing out the fabric covering John's body. He bit at John's lip and John moaned, face flushing a darker red than it already was. He didn't complain when Dave's hands slipped under his shirt, pushing it up and off of him. Fingers traced John's tattoos, running along the edges of them, filling in the arrows with his touch. John didn't mind, and instead opened himself so Dave could feel more, touch more. John was a little embarrassed by the fact he was hard and it wasn't exactly discreet, but then again so was Dave. John could feel him pressing up against his ass, and John was about to act on it. He really was.

The door to the hotel room blew open and there was that little fucking short guy, whatever the fuck his name was, was it Karkat? John didn't know, nor did he care. They turned and looked at Karkat, who simply stared back at them in response. John held out his hand and blew a strong gust of air at the intruder, knocking him back into the hallway, but not hard enough to hurt. The door slammed shut with him.

"Damn, Egbert. You're harsh." Dave uttered his first words since they had begun to explore each other, a cocky smirk on his face.

"Shaddup, Dave."


End file.
